Saturday, February 4, 2012

Is floating showing off?

This morning, I did full primary (my rest day is on Sunday). In the Suryanamaskars, I am finally nailing floating back and floating forward into Uttanasana from downward dog. I've been able to kind of float back for a few months now: Basically, I lift my lower body up off the ground in Trini position, and then kind of float back into Chatvari. But it is only in the last couple of days that I am finally starting to get the hang of floating forward. I realize that it has a lot to do with how much of my body weight is on the legs rather than on the hands in downdog. You know that common adjustment you get in downdog, where the teacher pushes or pulls your hips back, so that more of your weight is in the feet rather than on the hands? Well, it seems that the more weight there is on the feet, the easier it is to "float" forward into Uttanasana. I'm not entirely sure why this is, but this, at least, has been my experience.

But recently, another question has come up in my mind about floating in the Suryas. According to Claudia, Sharath said in last week's conference that:

"So if you are able to do all asanas beautifully, if you do for example handstand which is the common thing everyone wants to show... I don't know where this habit comes from.  What is this? After Surya Namaskar, dwi, trini, (two, three) and handstand.  (He is refering to people who include handstand into the sun salutations as a way of showing off, but something that is clearly not supposed to be there in the salutations, see Pattabhi Jois' book Suryanamaskara).  He continues I don't know why, it seems to attract people, but for a real yogi the transformation happens within."

I guess my question is: Is floating in and out of trini position in the Suryas showing off? After all, if you are lifting your body off the ground first in trini before you go back into chatvari, you are technically doing a handstand. Same goes for floating forward into Uttanasana/Sapta position: If you are floating, there is an instant in which your body is suspended above the ground. Which makes it technically a handstand. To illustrate my point, here's a video of David Robson "floating":


So is floating showing off?   

13 comments:

  1. I'm sure that for some people, floating (or really wanting to float) can be about ego and showing off. That said, the Pro-Float explanation I've been given is that each movement in the Suryanamaskar should be the same length as the breath that goes with it. A slow, controlled float allows you to extend the jumps back/forward to fully fill the chatwari and sapta breaths.

    Personally, I try to refine my hopeful pseudo floats to save my joints from thudding through my salutations :)

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    1. I think you are right that floating extends the jumping forward and back movements, so that one can fully fill the chatvari and sapta breaths. I like the term "Pro-Float" (which suggests that there is also an "Anti-Float" out there :-)).

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  2. Hi Nobel,

    Thanks for the post. My teacher has been teaching us how to float forward..still haven't get the hang of it..but will keep in mind your comment on putting more weight in the feet than in the hands..I don't think it is showing off..just something to make our practice lighter and more refine..:)

    Karin

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    1. Good to hear from you, Karin. I think if you put more weight in the feet in downdog, you put yourself in a position where you are able to do the work of transferring your bodyweight from your feet to your hands slowly. Whereas if all or most of your weight is already in your hands to start with, then there isn't that much of an opportunity to do this work. At least, this is my theory. I hope this makes sense. Good luck!

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  3. I think walkfromoz has it right -- if your float (or however you move through the practice) allows you to maintain your breath's pace, it is serving its purpose. If it isn't, chances are it is serving your ego's purpose.

    Tim Miller talks about how as one becomes experienced in the practice (not to mention older), one tends to get rid of the showy circus act and focus on a streamlined practice.

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    1. Interesting, Steve. I think I have a tendency to hold my breath while jumping back/forward and floating. I'll work on breathing more evenly throughout the movements.

      I guess I'm trying to do as many showy circus acts as I can before my time is up ;-)

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    2. We all are, I say, speaking for everyone. :)

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  4. Floating is showing off...and here's why - the floatee changes their breath (the vinyasa - the actual "yoga" of the technique). So the vinyasa technique is abandoned for the sake of appearance or for that "aren't i groovy" feeling.
    The jump back to chatvari is an exhale.
    Can you tell me that on you way back you are exhaling UP to your float?
    Or, like a hundred others I have witnessed, do you add an extra inhale to rise to the fancy extra float?
    Prove me wrong...but here's what Kiki Says.

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    1. Arghh... why do you have to destroy my long-cherished delusion that I may one day be able to float without changing my breath? Now I will either have to stop floating, or continue to float on pain of not really doing yoga! Arghh...

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    2. Oh, btw, it just occurred to me that this might make a great video (Possible Title: "Floaters and Posers"). Just a suggestion, if you ever need any ideas for new video titles...

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  5. its definitely showing off... and having a bit of fun. But after years and years of examination, I am convinced there is no handstands in most of the ashtanga series IF you feel you are a "traditionalist" (whatever the hell people are choosing to define that as)
    http://yoganonymous.com/find-your-float-handstand-addiction-in-ashtanga

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  6. I really am not of the idea that this is showing off. These skills translate to body understanding one needs as they progress. Of course it depends on the individual, but the inherent ability to do this and the combination of strength, flexibility, and body awareness head definitely been helpful for me.
    I think it's more important to ask how you are approaching your whole practice in general... It all can have a performative, show off attitude to it... I say practice sincerely and don't worry about it

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